Johnna Stanton … Morse High English teacher

Johnna Stanton, a Morse High School English teacher, was recently recognized as the 2015 Sagadahoc County Teacher of the Year.

2015 County Teachers of the Year were chosen from a pool of more than 300 nominees, and will serve as ambassadors for teachers and students in Maine public schools to better prepare students and graduates for life and success after high school.

Stanton is a fourth generation Morse graduate in her family and attended Wheaton College in Massachusetts to major in English and minor in education. She earned her master’s degree in education from Antioch University in 2004, and began teaching at Lincoln Academy for five years.

Since then, she has been an English teacher at Morse High School for 15 years and has coached field hockey, lacrosse and cross-country skiing. She served as the class adviser for the class of 2004 and 2015, and is also a garden club and cooking club adviser at Morse. The Times Record: What do you enjoy the most about teaching at Morse?

Johnna Stanton: I enjoy the sense of community I feel teaching at Morse.

TR: How do you motivate students to become active, hands-on learners?

JS: I was taught at Lincoln Academy to teach heterogenous English and my philosophy is deeply rooted in differentiated instruction. I believe every student brings different talents and skills to the classroom; my job is to discover them and make sure they flourish.

TR: What personal strengths do you find helpful in your teaching?

JS: Structure that encourages consistency instead of chaos; a classroom focus that encourages creativity, and student ownership and respect from and for students.

TR: What do you hope your students will remember after taking your class?

JS: I hope students will remember that I listened to them, challenged them and made literature come alive for them.

TR: How do you feel about receiving this recognition?

JS: In the days since receiving this recognition, I have felt a wonderful outpouring of support and honor from my community. I am so honored to represent Sagadahoc County.

dkim@timesrecord.com